To Heal The Pain
by Pinto
Summary: The sequel to A Pain So Deep. ~I don't think that it is as good, but that's for you to decide.


Forlay glanced down at a hologram that she had stared at every day. It showed what she once had, but was ripped away from her. Her children.

Like always, her eyes misted slightly as she looked at her family. It had been two months since the news had come that her children were dead. At first she had kept a hope that they had survived, somehow made it down to the planet below. But day after day, she slowly accepted the fact that her children were dead. And day after day, she slowly died inside.

The glimmer that her husband Noorlin had once adored had left her eyes. Now all that was left was an empty void that he began to believe could never be filled. When he would look into her eyes, all he could see was emptiness.

Forlay had died inside. Without her children, she felt she had no purpose to continue living. Her children had been her life.

She carefully set the hologram back in it's spot which was right in the center of the scoop. She took one last look at it then turned and walked out of the scoop. Her eyes showed no emotion as she walked. They gave away no clue of the pain which was boiling inside her.

As she walked, her eyes caught a glimpse of something that made her stop. A single tree. She turned and walked up to it. As she saw it, her heart broke. She carefully put her hand up against the tree. It's texture was smooth and soft. This tree had been Elfangor's. His 'guide tree'.

Forlay remembered back to when she would look and see Elfangor by his tree. Of course, that was when he was very young. Younger than Aximilli. He had stood by his tree for hours, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Forlay closed her eyes in pain. The tree held so many memories that she wanted so surpress and forget so that the pain would not be as strong. She turned from the tree.

A shudder ran through her body. Why couldn't she put the pain behind her? Why couldn't she ignore the memories that caused her such grief? Then it came to her. She didn't want to forget her sons. She didn't want to forget the time that they had been with her.

And yet, she knew that if she couldn't put some of the pain to the past, then she would live like this forever. She would become nothing but a shell of her former self.

Her mind was flooded with thoughts. She was overwhelmed with the descion of what to do. Confusion flooded her. Forlay finally walked away from the tree that had caused her the memory. She needed to go to a place where she could just become numb from the pain that had terroized her day and night.

But yet a voice screamed in her head that she should sort out her feelings, not put them in the back of her mind and become emotionless.

_What do feelings matter anyway?_ She thought angrily. _Emotions will not bring back my children. It will only bring me pain..._

She began to run.

  


Noorlin walked up to the scoop, hoping that Forlay would be there. He had wonderful news for her. It would put a gleam back in her eye.

He looked inside and was disappointed that she was not there. His tail drooped a tiny bit.

_No._ He scolded himself. _I have no reason to get upset. Forlay is around here somewhere._

He set off at a slow trot, keeping a watch out for Forlay. He felt his hooves pound into the ground, and he had a feeling of absolute joy in him.

Forlay would be herself again. She would be the Andalite he had fallen in love with again. He started looking even harder.

As he strained his eyes, he saw a figure far away. < Forlay?> He called out hopefully. The figure halted. < I have good news!>

At first, he was afraid that she might not come. Then after seemingly endless moments, Forlay headed towards him.

Noorlin twitched his tail impatiently. He headed towards her as she came. When they met, he grabbed her arms gently and looked into the empty void of her eyes.

< I have news that will make you feel better.> Noorlin said. Forlay just looked away into the distance. Noorlin let out a mental sigh.

< Don't you wish to hear?> There was no response from her. < I am going to tell you whether you listen or not.> She still made no movement. Her gaze was faraway.

He finally decided to try the direct approach. < It is about Aximilli.> Forlay's head snapped toward him as if she had been slapped. Noorlin smiled with his eyes.

< What about Aximilli?> She asked, not sure if she wanted to know. After all, no survivors had been found.

< He is alive!> Noorlin exclaimed excitedly. < He contacted us from the planet Earth.> He looked hopefully at his wife's expression.

Forlay nearly fell over from the shock. She felt her knees go weak from excitement. After all this time, that she thought her sons were dead, they had come back to her!

< Is Aximilli doing alright?> She asked her husband.

Noorlin smiled. < Yes, he is fine....> He broke off, not wanting to tell his wife about Elfangor.

Forlay's eyes were bright with happiness. < And Elfangor?> She asked.

Noorlin drooped his stalk eyes. He didn't look his wife in the eyes. < Elfangor was......killed.>

Forlay stepped back. < Did he die honorably?>

< Yes. And Aximilli will avenge his death.> Noorlin said.

Forlay wasn't sure how she felt. After all this time, she had thought that Elfangor and Aximilli were both dead. Now she found out that one son was still alive, and the other had died. She realized that she had grieved for Elfangor. He wouldn't want her to spend the rest of her days greiving over him.

Forlay looked at Noorlin. < I am not sure how to feel. I have gotten a son back and lost the other again in one day.>

Noorlin gazed at her with understanding eyes. < Elfangor died fighting. He would be happy to know that his brother was still alive. You should be happy too.> Noorlin took Forlay's hand and squeezed it gently. A tear escaped down Forlay's eye.

< I will miss him so.> She said softly. She quickly wiped away the tear that had fallen.

< We will all miss him. He was wonderful.> Noorlin scuffed his hoof on the ground. He felt uncomfortable. He wasn't sure how to comfort his wife. Forlay surprised him, though.

< But you are right. We should stay strong and remember that Elfangor would want us to be happy. He would want us to find Aximilli and bring him home.> Strength shone in her eyes. Her eyes, which were once a void, had become filled with determination. She was no longer weak.

A feeling of peace set over both of them. They no longer felt the horrible pain of loss. Both smiled at each other. Elfangor would have wanted it that way.

  


**The End**


End file.
